


Only Fools

by The_Winter_Straw



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, Game: Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Keyblade Knight Reader, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 10:59:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19904638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Winter_Straw/pseuds/The_Winter_Straw
Summary: ...spend their lives listening to the advice of fools.





	Only Fools

**Author's Note:**

> I finished _Kingdom Heats III_ last night and didn't much like it! In celebration, I have decided to post my first-ever fic trade response, which was written back in 2011 and is based on my favorite entry the series, _Birth by Sleep_. Also, because this game reminded me that Terra and Aqua are super hot. The prompt was "general advice." I'm not sure if I had finished the game when I wrote this...I had plans to write an entire Terra/Reader story that got scrapped because his story ended up going a different way than I anticipated. But I'm pretty sure this coincides with canon as comfortably as a reader-insert can!
> 
> The word count limit was 5000, by the way, which is why I don't have as much actual romance in it as I'd like.

Everything around you shook: your arms, your legs, the milky stars, the keyblade that carried you through the forsaken expanse of nothing between worlds. Your vision would have been shaking, too, except for the fact that your eyes were closed. They had to be. If you kept them open for any amount of time, the tears rushed forth at once, trailing forcefully down your cheeks until they fell, twinkling, to who knew where.

Not you. You didn’t know anything anymore.

Behind you lay the smoking remains of the world you once called home. Before you lay…well, you weren’t sure yet. At that moment, it seemed like a whole lot of darkness, the same thing you’d been looking at (when your eyesight cleared enough) for the past hour. Every now and then, a shudder pressed its way up your spine at the thought of what you could have been looking at, if you hadn’t figured out how to transform your keyblade in time. But it was too late for your master, too late for the Land of Departure...

******

_“And here is where you will be staying.” The dark haired man opened a door and gestured through the open entryway. You stepped inside the room before him to look around at the bare walls and plain bed. Even after spotting those, you continued to blink around. After hearing everything that learning to be a Keyblade Knight would entail, you’d been expecting something a little more…interesting._

_“Alright,” you finally managed to say. “Thank you.”_

_Master Eraqus only nodded in response. “You will begin your training tomorrow–it is a long path, [Name], and not one to be taken lightly.”_

_“I know.”_

_“Good.” He turned back toward the hall, and made to shut the door. “Do not stay up too late. You are expected in the dining hall no later than five tomorrow morning.”_

_With that, he disappeared. Silence reigned in the tiny room, interrupted only by the occasional soft chirping of crickets outside your open window. The closed door also blocked out any light thrown inside by the hallway. Now you were plunged into darkness. You waited until you heard Master Eraqus’ footsteps fading away, then let out a shaky breath as you set both your bag and yourself on the bed._

_“Hey.”_

_You must have jumped about a foot in the air, and screamed too, because when you finally got a good look at the boy at your window, he appeared highly amused._

_“Woah, woah. Is that any way for a future Keyblade Knight to act?” he asked, grinning._

_“I…I haven’t started training yet,” you said as you looked at him. There was a lantern on the pathway not far from the window, so you were able to see his messy brown hair and blue eyes. “And who are you?”_

_“Terra. You must be the new girl the Master was talking about.”_

_“[Name],” you said slowly. It wasn’t really part of your upbringing to believe that talking to random strangers at open windows at night was a good thing, but Terra seemed genuinely…there. “I’m [Name].”_

_“Yep, that’s the one. Welcome.”_

_“Um…thanks. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Great. Well, um. I should get to packing.” He nodded, and, taking this to mean he was leaving, you started to look in earnest for a lamp inside. The outside lantern was doing nothing for you. So when Terra spoke once more, you nearly jumped out of your skin again:_

_“But seriously, you want some advice?”_

_“Yes?”_

_“Go to bed now. Master was serious when he said you had to be up before five.”_

_Of course._

******

Your fingers clenched around the brightly-colored glass flower sitting in the palm of your hand. “Terra…” you murmured as you squeezed your eyes shut tighter. “Where _are_ you?” You still didn’t understand: Aqua and Terra leaving, Ventus running away, Master Eraqus’ expression when the last came home. Everything happened so fast, _too_ fast, and then your Master was dead and your two friends were gone once more.

Just as your brain skittered around the unpleasant image, a bright light shone through your eyelids. Blinded even with that small shield to protect you, you managed a quick peek before whatever it was enveloped you. The light grew stronger and stronger; you were forced to close your eyes again. Two seconds later, a plummeting sensation filled your stomach. Your eyes snapped open just in time to see dried earth rushing toward you.

You pulled out just in time, but the momentum sent you flying forward off your vehicle anyway. You winced as you sailed across the ground. Of course you’d scratch your armor the first time you wore it away from home. You stood and brushed yourself off before allowing the protective covering to disappear and making a mental note to ask Master Eraqus to teach you the finer points of landing when you got home.

Your heart sank as you remembered: there was no going home, no more practicing for your Mark of Mastery. The tears threatened to well up again, but you denied them, and shook your head quickly to clear your fuzzy thoughts. You should have been excited! You’d never been off your home world and there you were! It was time to take your first look at a world other than your own. With that thought in mind you spun around…

…Only to see the same desolate earth you’d caught a glimpse of on your ride in. There was nothing in that world but baked, dry ground, towering cliffs the same uniform shade, and some sort of short, irregular bush that seemed to grow in droves all across the flat, unremarkable landscape.

“What?”

This was not how worlds were supposed to be. They were full of life, full of wonder. That planet was no such thing. Was this where Terra had gone? You’d lost him in the Paths Between almost as soon as setting out, but something told you that Aqua’s magic had done its work. Slowly, you picked up one foot and began to walk down the path outlined by the plants. Each footstep echoed through the empty air.

“Terra?” Your voice was too quiet even for you to hear. Something bothered you about the blackened things leading you away from your crash site, too. You drew closer to one clump of plants and narrowed your eyes as you moved your fingers toward it. They brushed against heated metal. You withdrew them as if bitten. “But this is…” You looked at another, took three more steps and looked again. “They’re all…keyblades.”

Panic set in. You started to run.

“Terra!” Your voiced bounced back to you, making you a chorus. “Terra!”

“He’s not here.” You stopped. The voice that had spoken was unfamiliar, but it made your heart stop cold in its tracks. You turned. Standing on the path was a boy, but not one you recognized. Dressed head to toe in black, an inscrutable mask covering his face, he could have been anyone. He, too, had a keyblade, a strangely warped looking one gripped between strong-looking fingers.

“Who are you? How do you know Terra?” you asked. Your own keyblade shone into being and you lifted it into position, ready to attack at a moment’s notice. 

The boy only laughed. Your heart picked up pace again.

“Answer me!”

******

_“Woo! Come on! Go, Aqua!”_

_“Ven, I thought you were cheering for me!”_

_“I can cheer for both of you.”_

_“No, you can’t.”_

_“Not for much longer, he can’t.”_

_You ducked another one of Aqua’s swings and stepped backward. After an all day-lesson of trying to figure out blizzard magic, the two of you were supposed to spar–not that Aqua needed any help in the magic department. It was you, one year into your training and still completely confused about magic. As usual, the younger (though still annoyingly ahead in his studies) Ventus looked on and cheered each time either of you came close to a blow._

_“And why do you say that?” you asked._

_“Because I’m almost getting through your guard. Focus, [Name].”_

_“I am focusing.”_

_“Oh really?” Aqua stopped and put her hands at her sides. “Then let’s see some of that magic you were learning earlier.”_

_“Um…but…”_

_“Focus is the main way to get your magic going. Come on, you can do it. I know it.”_

_“But…argh…” You clenched your eyes shut, trying focus on the blizzard inside you. What that meant, you had no idea, but Master Eraqus had said it in the voice he refrained from using except in the case of especially wise nuggets of truth, so it must have been important. “I think–”_

_Aqua cut you off by tapping your chest lightly with her keyblade. “You have to focus on the battle, too, [Name].”_

_“Hey, no fair!”_

_“It was too fair,” Ventus called. “If you need magic in battle, you can’t hope your enemies just sit there politely and wait for to use it.”_

_“Unless you have the stop spell,” Aqua added._

_“Which is magic, so that doesn’t really help me,” you grumbled. They were trying to help, but it was frustrating to watch them continue to advance while you wallowed in your inability to so much as light a candle with your powers. Aqua touched you lightly on the shoulder and gave you an encouraging smile, which you returned._

_“You’ll get it soon, [Name]. I know it.”_

_“Hey, you guys done yet?” Terra strode up to where you and Aqua were standing. She grinned at him as well and gave you a last pat on the shoulder._

_“We just finished. [Name]’s getting really good.”_

_“Really?” He looked between the two of you and you looked away. Did he have to rub it in how bad you were? He didn’t have to look so surprised. “Did you win this time?”_

_“No. Aqua always wins.” You scuffed a line in the dirt with your toe._

_“But,” Aqua lifted her voice, “I bet she has the blizzard spell down by the end of the week.”_

_“That’s great!”_

_“Sure…” you trailed off and stared toward the castle. Night had started to fall. All you wanted to do was climb into bed to be a loser on your own. Looking like one in front of Terra was…well, it wasn’t exactly good for your self-esteem._

_“Terra, why don’t you help [Name] practice tonight? Maybe she can get it done by morning.”_

_“That’s a great idea!” Your heart gave a great leap, which forced you to look up at your two fellow students. Terra grinned, looking more excited than he normally did when it came to extra practice, which was saying something since Terra always took extra practice opportunities. “How about it, [Name]? You want to?”_

_“U-Um…” On good days, being around Terra made your heart beat faster and your hands grow sweaty. Seeing him like this on a particularly bad one made it even worse. “Do you mind?”_

_“Of course not! I’ll give you some advice–maybe Aqua doesn’t do it the same way.”_

_“Sounds good!”_

_“Then let’s go!” He tore off without a second glance and, after a quick flushed smile in Aqua’s direction, you ran after him._

******

The masked boy’s laughter cut short. That was the only warning you had before he launched himself forward, weapon gleaming in the sunlight. You lifted your own in response, but he was too quick. He struck, once, twice, again, again, again. “I don’t owe you anything. You’re just a newbie Keyblade Knight. All I have to do is kill you and everything will be so much easier.”

You could feel the blood draining out of your face. It was true–despite being Aqua’s equal in age, you’d only been training for a handful of years–much less than any of your friends. “What do you mean?”

The boy chuckled again. The sound caused the hairs on the back of your neck to rise. “You won’t be around to find out.”

He swung and, distracted, you missed your chance to block him. The force of his blow sent you crashing to the ground. Colors swirled in front of your eyes. When they cleared, your opponent had his blade pointed directly at your face. “I’d ask you if you had any last words, but I doubt they’d be anything interesting.”

“Vanitas!” The boy looked up, but moved forward to press you into the ground by your throat with his blade. You swallowed–hard. The man moving toward you was one-hundred-percent familiar. You’d thought he’d been missing but apparently not. There was Master Xehanort right in front of you.

“What?” Vanitas sounded impatient.

“We don’t have time for you to play with your food. Terra will be here any minute.”

“Fine,” he sighed and lifted his keyblade again. You winced. Would it hurt to die? Would you get to see your master again? The blade drove toward your neck and you braced yourself for impact when–

“Wait!” Xehanort’s gravelly voice stopped the keyblade instantly.

“What _now_?”

“Keep her. For her, Terra will open his heart to the darkness completely.”

“For her?” Vanitus shook his head. “Why?”

“Didn’t you see the way he looked at her?” Xehanort moved to your side and Vanitas withdrew. You almost wished he hadn’t. The pressure on your throat was better than the smirk Xehanort was giving you.

“Disgusting.” Vanitus turned his face toward you one last time before racing away.

“Terra wouldn’t…” You swallowed and found your voice again. “Terra would never give his heart to the darkness!”

“Stupid girl!” Xehanort answered. “Didn’t you see what he did to Eraqus? What could that have been but darkness?” You could not deny what you saw. You could not deny the radiating purple-black tendrils that formed when Terra started to attack. You could not deny the look on his face. You could not deny Master Eraqus’ crumpled body, lying in front of the castle. But Terra–Terra–

“He was trying to protect Ven!”

“And he destroyed your master in the process! Just one more push, and the boy will be mine!”

******

_Two more years passed. Everyone grew, except for Ventus, who was starting to seem like he might never age. You mastered blizzard magic–then thunder and fire–and continued to work with increasing frustration on the cure spell. Master Eraqus seemed to grow sterner and sterner, and the days the four of your practiced grew longer and longer. Then it happened: Terra and Aqua’s Mark of Mastery Tests were announced. Three months–three months for the two of them to hone their skills to their peak. Three months to train with no helpful advice from Terra._

_You were coming away from another rough evening of being beaten black and blue by Ventus of all people when it happened. You spotted Terra in the distance, but made no move to signal him. Ignoring him wasn't exactly what you were doing, but you knew he was busy. The small amount of time he did have to talk to you, you didn’t want him to see you covered in bruises and cuts. The blushing and sweating from before had solidified into a true, hormone-filled crush, and you were loathed to let him nurse it by worrying about you._

_“[Name]!” Frowning, you turned around. Terra was standing right behind you, hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. “Wait!”_

_“I am waiting,” you said blankly. Had Terra been able to move that fast before? That Mark of Mastery training was really something._

_“Good. Because…I have to tell you something.”_

_“More advice? Because last time you gave me some, I froze Ventus’ hand solid for a week and a half.”_

_“Not advice…” He shook his head and stood up. Suddenly he frowned. “But you learned your spell anyway, right?”_

_“Yeah, but…”_

_“I’m not here to give you advice,” Terra repeated. “It’s just–Well…”_

_“Is that any way for a soon to be Keyblade Knight to speak?” You smirked and were pleased to get a nervous chuckle out of Terra in response. “Spit it out.”_

_“Fine…I, uh…it’s just that…I was wondering, can I ask you for some advice?”_

_“I owe it to you. But I doubt I can help with anything.”_

_“It’s kind of a…girl problem.”_

_“Oh, gee, thanks.”_

_“Not like that!” he hastened to assure you. Just as quickly, he turned embarrassed. “It’s just that, well, I like someone. And I don’t know if I should tell them–her–or…what I should do…you know, with the Mark of Mastery coming up and all.”_

_Your heart sank. Of course Terra was speaking about Aqua. Who wouldn’t be in love with Aqua? She was kind, wonderful at her job, and drop dead gorgeous. You always knew one of the boys would fall in love with them. Or both…probably both._

_It took everything in you to force the smile onto your face, but you did. “You should tell her,” you said firmly. “I think you two would go really well with each other.”_

_Terra looked stunned. “Really?”_

_“Really,” you said, relieved that your voice hadn't cracked around the tears in your throat. Who cared if Terra liked Aqua? He wouldn’t be around much longer anyway. “Maybe you should go do it now because–”_

_You couldn’t finish your sentence because Terra had closed the gap between you, tugged you into his chest, and kissed you. When he finally stopped, your head was reeling, but you still caught another one Terra’s confident smiles, flickering against the backdrop of millions of sparkling worlds._

_“[Name], I like you.”_

******

Something glinted in the cloudless blue sky–one something, then two, followed by a third. Xehanort followed their paths with his golden eyes, a perverse smile spreading across his face. When each light disappeared, he turned his attention back to you.

“They’re here.” He grabbed your arm and wrenched you to your feet. “Everything is falling into place. Vanitus!”

“I’m right here.” Even though you couldn’t see his face, you could tell Vanitus was rolling his eyes.

“Good. Let’s go.”

Xehanort half-dragged, half-pushed you across the barren landscape. Twist as you might have, you could not escape his iron grip. All the while you could practically feel Vanitus’ amusement at how pitiful you were. At one point, you stumbled, but the man kept marching, digging his fingers deep into your skin to keep you coming alongside him.

“[Name]!” Two voices spoke at the same time and you looked up. Your three friends stood together, looking utterly horrorstruck at finding you there.

“Terra! Aqua!” You wanted to ask them for help, wanted to demand from Terra the explanation you’d followed him all the way there for. But both of those things seemed almost…shameful. You should have been able to avoid being captured, should have, perhaps, been able to aid your Master.

“[Name]! “Why are you here?” It was Terra who spoke and just seeing his expression made your knees weak. 

“She came to see me,” Xehanort rasped. “After seeing your little fight with Eraqus, she thought darkness might be the way for her, too.”

“What?” Aqua gasped.

“He’s lying!” You shook your head frantically. “I used the Paths Between and followed Terra here!” Terra frowned at this, and you shook your head again, even more frantically. “I had to! The Land of Departure is gone and he…Master Eraqus…”

“I know.”

“Terra…why?”

“We don’t have time for this.” Vanitus summoned his keyblade. “We have a Chi Blade to summon.”

“Quite right. If you chose to believe this weak little girl over me, Master Terra, then so be it.”

“[Name] isn’t weak!” Terra said.

“That’s right!” said Aqua and then each of them, Ventus, Terra, and Aqua looked at each other and slammed their fists into the button that activated their armor.

“Come!” Xehanort lifted his hands and a massive cliff began to rise underneath him, Vanitus, and you. Just as it slowed, Xehanort lifted you up to hang you over the edge. “Goodbye, [Name]. Too bad you couldn’t have been of more use to me.”

Then he let you go.

You couldn’t help it. You screamed. A smear of brown and gray rushed passed you. You head snapped forward as it hit a large rock protruding from the cliff. Pain exploded inside you. This time you were going to die for real. If only you’d got to ask Terra why he’d done it, why he’d accepted the darkness and used it like that, maybe you’d have felt better. Just as you were certain you were about to smash into the ground, two strong arms caught you.

“Terra!” He set you on your feet, but you could not see his expression, hidden as it was beneath his armor.

“[Name], are you alright?”

“Don’t worry about me. I–I was stupid–” 

“You’re not stupid. I should have…”

“We don’t have time for this,” you said, though it broke your heart to say it. “Go. Make sure Aqua and Ven are safe.”

After one last, lingering look, Terra nodded once, then bounded away. It was the last thing you saw, before the brown was devoured by black.

******

_“So, your test is tomorrow, huh?”_

_You found Terra huddled outside at one of the tables Master Eraqus occasionally used for outdoor lessons. Normally, the boy would have been inside by then, but you had a feeling that that night of all nights, he wasn’t bound to get much sleep._

_“Yeah,” he answered without looking away from the stars. You took a seat next to him, drew your knees into your chest, and looked as well._

_“Nervous?”_

_He glanced at you. “No…yes.”_

_“You’re going to do great. After all, you’ve helped me improve, and I’m completely hopeless.”_

_That time Terra looked at you. “Hopeless? Are you kidding? It might take you awhile to learn, but you’re good. No one has ever lit the entire library on fire their first time casting a fire spell before.”_

_“No one has spent an entire month recopying the damaged entries before either.”_

_Terra laughed. He lifted his arm, wrapped it around your shoulders, drew you close, and looked back up at the sky. “I can’t believe soon I’ll be visiting all those worlds. There are hundreds. Thousands.”_

_“It is pretty mind boggling,” you agreed. A single butterfly fluttered in your stomach and out your throat in the form of the words you’d been trying so hard not to say. “But I’m going to miss you.”_

_Terra’s blue eyes widened for a moment, then he buried his face in your hair for a brief moment. When he resurfaced, he spoke. “I’ll miss you, too.”_

_“Send me lots of letters, okay? With lots of advice. Ventus is terrible at helping me with…pretty much anything.”_

_“I will.”_

_“Good.” You stood up and gestured for him to follow. “Come on, let’s get you to bed. You have a test early in the morning and Master Eraqus isn’t kidding when he wants you up before five.”_

_“Of course.” But he followed you. As soon as you reached the hallway, he gave you a quick kiss, then went on to his own room. You made to do the same, but were interrupted by your master appearing next to you._

_“[Name], a word.”_

_“Of course,” you said automatically, though it confused and worried you that he was speaking to you so late at night._

_“You were out with Terra.”_

_“Yes.”_

_“The two of you are…together.”_

_“Yes.”_

_Master Eraqus said nothing; he simply stared down the empty hallway where Terra had disappeared. “[Name], I would advise you against that.”_

_“What? Why?” Your heart thundered in your chest. “Keyblade Knights don’t have to take a vow of celibacy or anything like that. And Terra is wonderful.”_

_Master Eraqus’ face, when you saw it again, was troubled. “I sense darkness in Terra, [Name]. I cannot force you away from him, nor would I if I could. I simply ask you to keep your heart guarded.”_

******

When you came to, everything was still. The cliff you’d been dropped off had vanished. In its place was a crater strewn with pieces of armor and more of the dead, blackened keyblades.

A hopeful bubble in your brain told you the battle was over.

Your wayfinder said Terra, Aqua, and Ven were nowhere to be found.

“Terra? Ven? Aqua?”

You were all alone.

That time you did not run. A horrible cold had settled into your chest. At any moment you could grab your keyblade and fly to another world, but the wayfinder did not tug you that way either. Had the magic failed? Did Xehanort win? Had Terra…?

Just then, you spotted a figure in the distance. Familiar gold and red armor caused clanking that echoed all around. Your heart gave an enormous leap. So the wayfinder just wasn't working! There was Terra, throwing his keyblade in the air, transforming it, preparing to get on and fly away.

But why would he leave without you?

“Terra!” You shouted and began to sprint toward him, waving your hands all the while. “Terra!”

He stopped and soon you were by his side.

“Terra, I was so worried! I thought something terrible had happened to you!”

“…I’m fine.” Those words should have calmed your nerves, but they did not. There was something about his deadened tone, the fact that he refused to look at you that forced your heart to pump ice through your veins.

“Where is Aqua? Ven?”

“Don’t know.”

“Are you going to look for them?”

“No.”

“Terra?” He didn’t answer. ““But…I trust you.”

Slowly, he got off the keyblade. Just as slowly, he took off his helmet. For a moment he stood there, eyes closed. And then they popped open. You stumbled backward. His eyes were no longer the familiar, warm blue you loved. Now they were cold, golden-more like Master Xehanort’s than the Terra you knew.

“Here’s some general advice,” Xehanort–Terra–that _thing_ leered down at you as he reached for his now-returned keyblade. You lifted your arm, gritted your teeth, tried to summon your own–but too late. The edge of Terra’s keyblade slammed into your chest.

 _Xehanort_ leaned forward. His face was mere inches from yours, but your squelching heart felt nothing. You coughed and tasted blood. His smirk grew as he drew away.

“Don’t.”


End file.
